100 most powerful women, and just four Arabs

“They are heads of state and first ladies, bankers and cultural icons, CEOs and entrepreneurial athletes.” So begins the latest big list from Forbes magazine, the popular US title, which has put together a countdown of the 100 most powerful women in the world. The list was chosen from four sectors, apparently: politics, media, business and lifestyle. The choices were made based “less on traditional titles and roles and more on creative influence and entrepreneurship,” says Forbes. “These power women have built distinctive companies and brands and championed weighty causes, sometimes through unconventional means; in other cases they have broken through gender barriers.”

Michelle Obama grabbed top spot, while the Arab world can boast four members on the list, the highest of which is from the UAE. Here’s a breakdown of the region’s power women:

Sheikha Lubna Al QassimiPower list position: 70
Shiekha Al Qassimi is the UAE Minister of Foreign trade. She’s the first woman to hold a cabinet position in the UAE (appointed in 2004), and in addition to her current role has also held the post of Minister of Economy. A member of the Sharjah ruling family, she has a degree in computer science, an MBA and an honorary doctorate. Forbes said she earned her position on the list for her trailblazing career in the UAE and for her work to improve the rights of women in the Middle East and other humanitarian efforts.

Is anyone surprised that there are only four women on the list? Does anyone have any more suggestions? Given incidents such as the sabotaging of female candidates’ campaigns at Bahraini elections and a culture where women are forever owned by a male relative, this is no shock at all.